VOL. 4, NO. 10 OCTOBER 1945

Customers Spotlight the Wheelabrator

LaPlant-Choate Manufacturing Co. , Cedar Rapids, Iowa , displays the Wheel abrator Table, used for removing heat treat scale, in their house mag azine, "LaPlant-Choate Topics. "

Dominion Foundries and Steel Ltd ., Hamilton, Can­ada, uses a large Wheelabrator Tum blast for cleaning s teel casdngs. Photograph appeared in th e company house mag azine, "Dafasco Illu strated N ew s."

• 1n

Wright Aeronautical Corporation, of Paterson, New Jersey, features the Wheelabramr Special Cabinet used for cleaning Wright engine cylinder heads . Machine reduced cleaning time from 15 minutes ro 65 seconds per casting.

their Advertising

Performance on a comparative basis has won top-ranking distinction for the Wheel­abrator in nearly 3,000 installations. Many of these plants have capitalized on the pres­tige-building power of their Wheelabrator by publicizing it in their advertising-the theme being that modern equipment re­flects ability to produce quality work.

Commercial shops, too, are taking ad­vantage of the fact that customers prefer Wheelabrated castings and other metal products, because they come perfectly free of sand and scale-an important advantage in simplifying inspection, speeding machin­ing and grinding, and making cutting tools last longer.

Wheelabrator users are proud of their equipment. That is why they advertise it so frequently in brochures, sales literature, and publicity. Typical examples illustrat­ing this fact are shown on this page.

Link-Belt Company uses the American Wheelabrator Table to dean 3 7 mm. armor-piercing shot at irs Indianapolis plant. Photograph was featured in " l.ink-E!elt News."

2

AMERICAN

PARADE

Published by and for Employees of American Foundry Equipment Company,

Mishawaka, Indiana

Vol. 4, No. 10 October, 1945

ROBERT E. SCHALLIOL Editorial Director

MARJORIE E. FRAZEE Editor

REPORTERS Walter Beatty, Machine Shop Paul Bessmer, Exp.-Demonstration Charles Bultinck, Engineering Delbert Dare, Sr., Stock Room Agnes Ernst, Engineering Virginia Ernst, Heater Mildred Fore, Office Harold Groh, Sports Arvilla Hummel, Shipping Ray Hutchins, Steel Shop Robert Mow, Heater Jean Tracy, Exp., Demonstration

CONFIDENCE-

AMERICAN STYLE

Franklin P. Adams of "Information Please" fame tells this interesting story about one of his sons who is in high school. This son was one of the outstanding stars of the base ball team, with a batting aver­age of 410.

In hob-nobbing with Jimmy Dykes, Man­ager of the Chicago White Sox, Adams boasted a little about his son's ability to swat 'em over the fence. "We could use a boy like that on our team", Dykes said.

When F. P. A. came home and told his son what Dykes had said about his playing on the White Sox, the boy was lost in thought for a few moments. "Well, that would be swell, Dad, but when I got up against pitchers like Dizzy Trout and Hal New­houser, I might not be able to keep my batting average at 410. It might drop down to about 300".

"There you have," said Adams, "the con­fidence of American youth. It is this great faith in themselves that make our soldeirs and sailors such great fighters. They think because they are Americans they are just expected to do the impossible. And very often they do just that!"

-from "The Jaqua Way"

* * * What Is Your Big Idea? Turn It Into the Suggestion Committee Today!

Meet Your Parade Reporter Jean E. Tracy, one of the reporters for

the experimental and demonstration depart­ments, is John Straub's secretary. Jet (as she is popularly called) has a lot of interests among them-studying art each Saturday at the Chicago Art Institute, writing, amateur acting, singing with the glee club, dancing and horseback rid­ing. She still finds time to be a member of the publicity com­mittee of her so­sority, Nu Phi Mu, a junior branch of Beta Sigma Phi.

HORRORSCOPE VIRGO

September 23 to October 23

It would seem at first thought that to be born in October would be a beautiful exper­ience, what with lovely Indian summer days and turning leaves of many colors. Such would be the case if it weren't for the fact that people born in October came into this world under the sign of Libra, generally known by astrologers as the balance sign.

A balance is just another name for a scale and after weighing very carefully the chances of an October person becoming anything other than a tight-rope walker, human fly or juggler, we have come to the conclusion that to be born in October is almost a catastrophe.

However, you Libra people don't get discouraged, there are other things besides success. Oh yeah! Name one. You are a dreamer at heart, full of romance and imagi­nation. There's a combination-romance and imagination.

Planetary vibrations are such that, if given the proper education, October people can become influential and stable citizens. (For your information, a stable citizen is not a person who works around horses.) To give them this education has proved very difficult and has in many instances required arson to get them out of the third grade.

Because of your sunny disposition you will have many friends. Another reason for y:our popularity could be your utter lack of skill in all kinds of games, your greatest ineptitude being in games of chance such as poker, craps and bridge.

Someone born in Scorpio will probably make the most congenial mate for you. The happiness of your marriage, however, will depend on how soon you get a job.

February is your lucky month. Tuesday your lucky day and Venus your ruling planet.

American Parade

ROSES ARE RED and a Lot of Other Shades Too Shakespeare said, "a rose by any other

name would smell as sweet" and who will argue with him? But, if you want to test this truth, visit the garden behind Josephine Dattalo's home at 425 West Twelfth Street, Mishawaka.

She has enough roses there to make a rather complete survey, over 200 different ones! And she is adding fifteen additional varieties this Fall. Witli the exception of six bushes of "Crimson Glory", Jo has but one plant of each variety.

Jo, who works in the stock room, and her husband started a few years ago adding roses to their flower garden, already quite extensive, and kept on adding more and more. Now, they have white roses, all shades of pink, red, yellow and combina­tions. Most of the roses-1 0 5 in fact-are "monthly" varieties (those blooming all summer) with ramblers and climbers mak­ing up the balance.

There are so many different types that Jo keeps a book telling where the various roses are planted. The picture shows Jo cutting a bouquet of the lovely blossoms. While the flowers blend into the foliage in this picture, the colors are truly lovely and Jo loves to display them.

She keeps her home decorated with them all summer, occasionally sells a bouquet, and gives many away to her friends and neighbors.

America11 Parrule 3

Spoil The Polish ancl Improve The Life Peening, cold working of metal to reduce

fatigue failures, is as old as the peened Damascus sword, used before the Christian era, and as new as tomorrow's discoveries. The process has progressed, during the centuries, from hand hammering to me­chanical peening, using Wheelabrator equipment.

AFECO is a recognized authority in the field of shot peening because of the compre­hensive research program we have been carrying on for many years. From the knowledge gained by our work and some of the findings of a few other researchers in the field, last Spring AFECO published the only authoritative text book on the subject.

A few other organizations and engineers are experimenting with shot peening and AFECO offers them the benefit of their findings and facilities for their work. Of these other experimenters, General Motors Laboratories is probably the largest organi­zation engaged in studying this process. As a result of their findings, General Motors Corp. has installed more than thirty pieces of Wheelapeening equipment in their vari­ous plants for peening metal parts.

So interesting do they consider this process that Mr. Charles F. Kettering gave the following talk on one of the General Motors Symphony Hours.

"In the story, 'The Talisman', there is the Crusade incident where King Richard and Saladin demonstrated the merits of their weapons. Richard, with a tremendous stroke of his broad sword, severed a bar of iron. Saladin, in contrast, neatly cut in two a soft pillow with his flexible, keen-edged scimitar. While this was an entertaining demonstration, it was more than that-it was a comparison of two samples of steel made by different methods and shows the state of the blacksmith's or steel maker's art in the Middle Ages.

"But even in the 12th century, the steel maker's trade was a very old one. Thirteen hundred years before that, the Romans de­feated rhe Celts because the swords used by Celts were poorly tempered and had to be straightened after each blow. In those days,

Wheelapeening clutch plates in a Special-Cabi­net at Chevrolet Motor Co., Flint, MichiAan.

each blacksmith had trade secrets which he had developed himself or had been handed down to him by his father. They knew they had to have a good metal to start with and each added his own peculiar brand of skill along with a little good luck. The last was very important.

"However, some craftsmen produced consistently fine materials. For instance, the steel of Damascus was outstanding be­cause of its flexibility and strength. This steel contained a great deal of carbon, which made it hard and brittle, but the sword-maker would heat the blade and hammer it again and again until he had changed the entire structure of the metal. It became more flexible the more it was hammered, yet it retained its hardness.

"These blacksmiths were not metallur­gists or steel experts in the modern sense, but they obtained good results. They be­longed to our much used cut-and-try school, when they discovered a good thing, they treasured it and passed it on to their sons. In this way, the art of working steel pro­gressively improved.

"When the Machine Age came along and things could be done quickly, it became the custom to make steel parts with highly polished surfaces. And out of this grew a theory that a part that had been highly finished would give much better service than one with a rough surface. This highly finished surface became a symbol of high quality.

"A few years ago, we received a simple, flat spring, nicely polished, that was giving trouble-in fact, it would break when flexed only about 2,000 times. So we were asked to design a new spring to fit into the very limited space where it had to work. We had done some experimenting with a simi­lar problem and had developed a treatment for increasing the life of such parts which consisted of bombarding or hammering the surface with thousands of little steel shot­we simply substituted thousands of little blows for the blacksmith's hammer. But in this process, we lost the mirror finish.

Wheelapeening leaf springs at Ontario Steel Products Co., Ltd., Chatham, Ontario, Canada.

"As we did not see how the design could be easily changed, we gave the sample spring this shot treatment and sent it back to the makers for a test. To their surprise, instead of breaking when it was flexed 2,000 times, they found that it would now stand over two million such cycles without breaking-an improvement of 100,000 percent. Although this high percent im­provement was an exception, gains on vari­ous parts of 50, 100 or 500 percent are now quite common. All we did was to question the theory of the polished surface and apply a modern version of a very old art.

"This new information has turned out to be of great value. We know the engineers are constantly trying to increase the power of airplane engines without increasing their weight. This means the engine parts must be made stronger to carry greater loads. Shot blasting was a simple and quick way to do this on many pieces. Now some of the parts of an engine that formerly developed a thousand horsepower are carrying a 50 percent greater load. No weight has been added-they have just been given this new treatment. And just as in the case of the Romans and Celts, this improvement in weapons played an important part in achiev­ing victory in the war just ended.

"This work on shot blasting gives an encouraging perspective. The trade of the steel maker is thousands of years old-one of the most ancient and useful known to m.an. It has been a most important trade in war and peace and the best brains and talent have been applied to it through all these years. Research men are always optimistic, but this optimism increases if they can make a contribution to such a highly developed industry, for then they can see endless opportunities in the newer and less ex­plored fields.

"We know very little about anything and there exists limitless opportunities for us in every industry if we will think and work. Or, to put it another way, there will always be a frontier where there is an open mind and a willing hand."

No. 1 Wheelabrator Table at Cadillac Motor Car Co., Detroit, for peening Allison airplane engine

connecting rods.

America11 Parade

The Sports Review by Harold Groh

The plans for a mixed gym class and volley ball league for employees will have to wait until a gym can be opened for such use. Renting a gym for calisthenics and volley ball by any and all members of the Athletic Association and their families has been con­sidered. The basketball team could also practice there the same night.

* * * Andy and Martha Federnok (she was the

former Martha Renner) of the Engineering department, caught 41 nice perch on Dia­mond Lake, Sunday, October 7.

FOR SALE: Four-year-old English Setter, good hunter. For information see Harold Groh, Research Department.

* * * Plans are underway for an AFECO AA

basketball team. At this writing nothing definite as far as a gym to practice in has been decided upon. Mr. Steele, physical education director in the schools, intends to call a meeting in the near future for the pur­pose of organizing a City "A" League, if enough teams are interested in such a set up. Suits have been ordered in standard sizes and any and all interested in trying out for the team are welcome to do so, when and if a gym can be obtained.

Sam Rookstool, joe Turnock, Chet Crumrine, and George DuBois, planned a fish­ing t1·ip to Silver Lake near Hart, Michigan. The more they talked about it, the larger became the size of the fish they anticipated catching. So large did they be­come that their fellow steel shop workers were quite sure standard fishing tackle

would not hold them.

To prevent the "big ones from getting away" (and the lamentations they surely would hear afterwards) the steel shop boys got together one lunch period and made this tackle. Sam winds the reel while Mark Warstler adjusts the hook. Evidently it worked. because these pictures of joe, George and Sam with the Northern and Walleyed Pike confirm their stories.

The picture on the lower left hand side is Harold Groh with the fish he recently caught and the right hand picture shows Ray Vande Walle with his prize catch.

4

ASME HEARS JOHN STRAUB

John Straub, head of the research depart­ment at AFECO, read a paper entitled "Scor­ing Characteristics of Spur and Helical Gears" before the St. Joseph Valley Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The meeting was held Septem­ber 14 in the Engineering Club rooms lo­cated in the Hotel LaSalle.

Straub developed a method of calculating spur and helical gear scoring failures while he was associated with J. 0. Almen of the General Motors Laboratories.

If a pair of gears intended for high capa­city work are not properly designed, scor­ing may occur-that is, the heat generated when the gear teeth mesh may be sufficient

, to cause the tooth surfaces of the two gears to weld together, then tear apart. Once severe scoring occurs it cannot be stopped and the gears destroy themselves.

By using the formulae developed by Straub, which he calls the "PVT" factor, scoring of spur and helical gears is elimi­nated at the time they are designed. ______ * _____ _

BUY FOR LESS WITH A

CREDIT UNION LOAN

Remember when, "I can get it for you wholesale" was a common expression? Wartime shortages practically eliminated this practice. If you must buy on install­ment terms you will find that a Credit Union loan will still enable you to buy for less. For example, the mail order houses will allow you to purchase on a time payment plan. Their carrying charges on the total amount are roughly 1 Oo/o.

Here's how you can buy for less with an AFECO Credit Union Loan. Borrow the money from your Credit Union and pay cash for the merchandise. This loan can then be repaid with small monthly payment with interest charges of lo/o per month on the unpaid balance.

Let's take a typical example of how this would work and the savings resulting. If you purchase items totaling $50.00 from a mail order house on time payments the cost to you for this service would be $4.50. By borrowing $50.00 from the Credit Union and arranging to repay the loan at the rate of $5.00 a month, the interest charges would be only $2.75. Who said you can't buy at wholesale anymore? ______ * _____ _

America1z Pttrade

Notice the three air hoses on this Tumblast installed at Benton Harbor Malleable Industries, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Tumblasts- Then and Now

Progress is either forward or backward. There is no middle ground. Evidence that AFECO has gone forward in its progress is apparent to anyone who has been here even a few short years. Typical of the advancements made in the design and construction of AFECO equipment is the Tum blast. The Tumblast is the most efficient and least troublesome of all mechanical methods for tumbling work in the blast chamber. Competitors have tried desperately to find a method as simple as ours, but in vain. Our conveyor principle remains the best on the market.

Before 1933 the Tumblast was an airblast machine wherein abrasive was hurled upon the work through a series of com­pressed air hoses.

With the advent of the airless Wheelabrator unit, compressed air was eliminated and cleaning action was not only speeded up but was more thorough. This development greatly reduced the cost of blast cleaning.

When the W'heelabrator was introduced in 1933, there were but two sizes of Tumblasts available, the 36 x 42" and the 48 x 42" barrels. Now we offer a barrel to meet any need, eight stand­ard machines with capacities from 1 cu. ft. up to 63 cu. ft.

27 x 36" Wheelabrator Tumblast with rubber belt conveyor cleaning piston valves at Wilcox-Rich Co., Battle Creek, Michigan.

Benton Harbor Malleable Industries installed the first Wheelabrator Tumblast, this 36 x 42" machine.

5

6

*----------------------wt)l~l"~·mt¥~~f "~~~" by"fl." .. ~~ " • ~e10brotl>i is . . . ... • . oil<!- edenrlvt~ ~" the •very-day . prowic; ~h ordinarily expected of l>lcKt clt~aning machines. . .·

· • • • 'You WilhfiM if .erilployedttfar •k<miple;on such· un~~<ual. ciild di!flcult jobs "" rl'mavingl>urrs from machin~d porb, "pal~ !ilrning'~ leather surfaces; 9rolni"9 phot<>-fithogrophie pkdes: renovating used shoe! drums; and surfacing the cores of piinfin9 rollers P,iodo ~u'bl>e!jxlng.

The Wheelobrotor is· engineered to.· answer otiy cleaning problem foster <nid of lower-<:ost. Jhe feels to prove tho! the Wheelabrato~ eon do this lor.you are YOUI'$ for the on· lng ••• •imply teU ..s your. problem and we will wbmit the supporting evidence. immediately.

-*' FOUNDRY EQUIPMENT CO. ~ -I(J ~~ - 510 SOUTH BYRKIT ST., MISHAWAKA, IND. ~

WORLD'S LARGEST BUILDERS OF AIR LESS BLAST EQUIPMENT'

Despite the oft-quoted adage about a path being beaten to the door of him who makes a better mousetrap, it just doesn't happen that way in a practical sense. The memory of the average buyer is short and it is the aggressive merchandising of a sound product that brings home the bacon in the form of orders.

As part of its sales promotion program AfECO carries on an extensive schedule of magazine and direct mail advertising. The above advertisement appeared recently in Irou Age, Steel and Steel Processi11g magazines. Industrial advertising is much more techni­cal and informative than consumer advertising. This ad, for instance, describes and illustrates the various types of Wheelabrator equipment and the work they will handle. It emphasizes our ability to engineer, design and build equipment to handle every con­ceivable cleaning problem.

That such advertising brings results is proved by the large number of inquiries received each month which are directly traceable to ads of this kind.

*-----------------------

American Parade

FROM MAJOR TO MISTER

Harold R. Garman came to work in the AfECO demonstration department in 1937 with over three years in the Army and a degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University behind him.

On August 22, 1941, he was recalled to active duty with the Army Air forces. As Lt. Garman, he set up communication facili­ties at Ellington field, Houston, Texas, then at Midland Army Air field. As Capt. Garman he set up communication facilities at Laughlin Army Air field, Del Rio, Texas. As Major Garman he was appointed Squad­ron Commander at Laughlin field in 1943 and later was made Air Inspector of Ad· ministration Facilities.

In September of this year, Major Garman, now on terminal leave from the Army, re­turned to AfECO where he is now in charge of all laboratory tests and demonstrations for prospective customers.

Harold's department functions in two im· portant ways: ( 1) It is a testing and proving ground for new technical ideas and proc­esses and for product improvement (2) it is an important aid in closing sales. Here we can show a customer how his problems can be solved.

Recent expansion in this department has provided greatly increased facilities. When entirely completed there will be 14 stand­ard and special blast cleaning and shot peening machines to handle tests and dem· onstrations.

Harold is married and lives at 320 State Street. His chief hobby is his amateur radio station W9GOE, the license for which he has held since 1931. He is a member of the Mishawaka Masonic Lodge No. 130 and the first Methodist Church.

Got an Idea? Cash In On It Now. Turn It Into the Suggestion Committee.

"The Doc says I hafta stay off my feet for a few days, but I can't afford to Jose the time."

American Parade

Q11estion: "If/hat additional activities do

)'Oil thi11k the Athletic Association should

sponsor?"

This question was asked at random of ., various people in the organization. Their

replies, printed below, indicate that there is a widespread interest in a complete employe participation program.

ADOLPH MUSSCHE: (machine shop) Boxing is the only thing in which I would be interested.

BILL CROWELL: (shipping) Dances and dinners. I think these would appeal to a large number of people.

JIM POWELL (steel shop) Food and banquets would interest me.

VIRGINIA RUSSELL and JUNE HAR­RINGTON: (Heater Division) Bridge

k lessons are something we could use and probably a lot of other people would be interested in such classes.

RAY LEUTHOLD: (receiving) Club rooms first are necessary, then we can play cards and table tennis.

DOROTHY WHITMER: (engineering) I'd like to see the Athletic Association spon­sor a play, then some good entertainment with professional talent. Good music would also interest me.

DICK ROSS: (industrial engineering) Basketball, but first we should have club rooms and a gym. Our activities should be more general and varied.

CHIEF WHITMER and JOHN FOSTER: Books, fruit, candy, etc. to those workers who are ill. I think a person appreciates any attention more when he is ill than at any other time.

CALVIN KELLY: (core room) A hunting and fishing club would interest me and I imagine several others here at AFECO.

DORIS WOODRUFF: (engineering) About the only thing in which I would be interested would be more dances.

TOM OWEN: (Heater Div.) First we need club rooms. Then I would like to see ping pong, shuffle board and movies avail­able. Movies during the lunch period would be especially interesting.

JOE AMBERG: (machine shop) I'd like to see a dance occasionally, especially one at which refreshments are served.

VIRGINIA and LILLIAN ERNST: (Heat­er Div.) A roller skating party every so often. We have been discussing one in the heater division, but it should be for a larger group than that.

GEORGE GRODRAIN: (shipping) Bingo and card parties, especially Euchre.

ELOISE KNISLEY: (engineering) I'd like to see a concert band and a dance or­chestra organized. Maybe even give lessons to those who would like to play in such groups.

METAL ABRASIVE So a Wheelabrator, using No. :)0 steel

grit, cleans 100 castings in 3 minutes does it? We know what a \Vheelabrator is (we build them don't we) ... and that it re­moves rust, scale, etc., from metal parts ... but what is abrasive and why the various numbers?

Shot is round in shape. It is intended for work that can be cleaned by shock, and works like a number of ball-peen hammers. It is suitable for cleaning applications, such as the removal of heavy scale, or for shot peening.

Grit (made by crushing shot) is angular in shape and is comparable to thousands of minute chisels or cutting tools. It opens the surface creating a matte finish.

The size and type of abrasive to use de­pend largely upon the type of scale, sand, rust or other impurities to be removed from the product and the final finish to be given to the product after cleaning, such as enam­eling, painting, galvanizing, metallizing, etc. Small shot and grit produce a finely "grained" surface, larger shot and grit produce a rough surface.

Why use metal abrasive rather than sand? Well, for several reasons, among them: It is cheaper to use metal abrasive because it can be reused again and again until it breaks down into particles too fine to be effective, it doesn't wear machinery and parts as rapidly and does not give off dust. Ship­ping costs are less because a ton of metal abrasive will do the work of a carload of the best sand, saving shipping, storage and handling costs.

AMBASSADORS OF GOOD

AFECO servicemen are not only trouble­shooters, but also ambassadors of good will. In many cases they are the only frequent personal contact between the factory and the customer after an installation is made.

Their job is to keep customers satisfied with the operation of equipment. In doing so, they pave the way to future business. That AFECO servicemen are doing splen­didly on the vital job of customer relations is typified by the following letter of which we are very proud:

"Our Secretary, Mr. W. B. Robinson, was

7

WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN

IN NOVEMBER

AFECO AA bowling team, 9:00 PM, Bowlmore Alleys.

5 Local No. 995 UA W-CIO meeting Day Shilt-5:00 PM. Night Shilt-2:30 PM.

6 Glee Club practice, Hotel Mishawaka-7:00PM. Bill's Ramona Bar Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Rose

Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team No. 1-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation .

AFECO Bowling Team No. 2-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team-6:30 PM, Pastime Alleys.

8 AFECO AA Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Bowlmore Alleys.

13 Glee Club practice-Hotel Mishawaka, 7:00PM.

Bill's Ramona Bar Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team No. 1-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team No. 2-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team-6:30 PM, Pastime Alleys.

18 AFECO AA Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Bowlmore Alleys.

20 Glee Club practice, Hotel Mishawaka-7:00PM.

Bill's Ramona Bar Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team No. l-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team No. 2-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team-6:30 PM, Pastime Alleys.

22 AFECO AA Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Bowlmore Alleys.

27 Glee Club practice, Hotel Mishawaka-7:00PM.

Bill's Ramona Bar Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team No. 1-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team No. 2-9:00 PM, Rose Recreation.

AFECO Bowling Team-6:30 PM, Pastime Alleys

29 AFECO AA Bowling Team-9:00 PM, Bowlmore Alleys.

* * * The Wheelabrator was introduced to

the foundry industry in 1933 by Ameri­can Foundry Equipment Co.

* * * The American Foundry Equipment Co.

moved to Mishawaka in 1926.

WILL IN WORKING CLOTHES

in the Gray Iron Foundry at Marshalltown, Iowa, last week investigating their methods of cleaning castings. He had the good for­tune of meeting your Mr. Fred Smith, who came to Waterloo this week. He has been most considerate and helpful in the dis­cussion of our problems.

"We congratulate you on having as your representative such a gracious, sincere and intelligent person."

Gregory Brunk, President Headford Brothers and Hitchins Waterloo, Iowa

8

Eye To The Keyhole Ruth Marie Books, former advertising

department worker, and daughter of pur­chasing agent, Harold, has been elected Secretary of the Freshman class at Mac­Murray College, Jacksonville, Illinois.

* * *

Some people claim bread is the staff of life-but not for Kenny Magnuson-he prefers pickles-and wants them served with every meal.

* * *

Norma Stanton has been transferred from the payroll department to the heater divi­sion office.

* * *

Earl Reed was moving a pile of rubbish to the aisle where he could pick it up with a shovel. While moving the pile he un­covered a 2 5c piece placed there by a prac­tical joker. This bit of silver he failed to pick up at once--then his attention was dis­tracted for a moment and the money was removed and Earl, search though he did, couldn't find it.

* * *

Jet: (Jean E. Tracy, delivering a message to a demonstration department worker) "The boss says for you to continue running the tests. He also wants to know how many passes you can make by 2:45 PM."

Worker: "Baby, stick around long enough, I'll make plenty!"

* * *

A. Nicolini got tired of searching for the proper size bolts whenever needed so he designed a "Christmas Tree" rack to hold the various sizes, ranging from "itti bitty bolts" on the top to "great big bolts" on the bottom.

* * *

Mr. and Mrs. Camiel Bonne celebrated their silver wedding anniversary September 24. That's nice going.

* * * Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Van

de Walle on the arrival of a seven pound daughter, Joan, October 8.

* * * Pfc. Robin Wall of the Air Forces came in

for a visit. He is on his way to Chanute Field for special training.

* * * Other servicemen included George Gay,

son of steel shop assembler Harold Gay, home from the South Pacific area. A picture was taken of him while he was here but unfortunately the film failed to record what the camera saw. The servicemen's Gift Committee delivered his $25.00 war bond to him.

* * * Odelia Schaut is now enrolled in the

Singer Sewing Class.

Lucille Simcox, secretary to K. H. Barnes of the sales department. Her husband, Jim, has just returned from overseas.

Jeanne Ellen Fire was married to Lloyd Brenneman, October 28 in th'e First Metho­dist Church.

* * *

Poor Belle and Brownie, our cleaning women, were in for a sad evening the night they came to work and found all the floors in the offices covered'with oil and tar. The road in front of AFECO had been fixed over, but when the City Street Department was ready to roll the road, it started to pour down rain and continued throughout the day.

* * *

Jet: "You missed out on a good graham cracker pie which I served at club meeting the other night."

Don May: "Can you cook, too?"

Jet: "Why yes, do you like graham cracker pie?"

Paul Bessmer pipes in: "Heck no! That's just a crummy dish!"

* * *

Armando Nicolini has his watch, the one he acquired in that raffle held so long ago.

* * *

The W odd Series was followed with in­tense interest, by all departments. June Foster won three pools, Tom Hameline con­vinced Ada Jones there would be another game played-so there would be four games in Detroit and four in Chicago and the score was the main topic of conversation every­where.

American Parade

We've been expecting it for some time and now it has happened. Mel Morris sat down on a chair at the Spanish Terrace and it collapsed.

* * * Ralph Banes recently donated the con­

tents of his melon patch to a group of neigh­borhood boys. Of course he didn't know about it until after and says it might have been different if shotgun shells had been available.

* * * Herman Jones recently returned from an

enviable vacation trip. After spending a week at Denver, he motored on to Los Angeles and Long Beach and returned via Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, etc.

* * * On September 19, the Navy had the situ­

ation well in hand as far as the engineering department was concerned. Don Scott and Hubert Kingery, after completing their boot training, were in to visit the depart­ment.

* * * George Grodrain, who preaches at the

First Church of Prayer, 125 Washington Street, South Bend, recently received his ordination papers.

* * * Receiving department's Margaret Har­

rington went to California and has been replaced by Alice Ray.

* * * Alice Hixenbaugh of the shipping depart­

ment had a birthday-yep, another cake was enjoyed by the shipping gang.

* * * Joe Acsai saved a week of his vacation to

take when son Joe came home from the Army-he knew it would take at least that long to ask all the questions he had been saving up for Joe's return.

* * * If your wife put a dent in the fender of

your car-see Gordon C. Hensel, 1003 Middleboro, Mishawaka-he'll take it out for you. He also does welding and other types of repair work.

* * * Elouise Knisley of the Engineering De­

partment led the Bendix Aviation Post band into first place over 99 other bands and drum and bugle corps at the American Legion Convention in Indianapolis. They will try for first place in Chicago in the near future.

* * * Mary Helen Driver, Lucille Simcox, Mil­

dred Webster and Julia Baugher are happy once again. Their husbands have returned from overseas military service.

* * * Anna Mae Ehrmin is all excited over her

trip to Chicago to see the opera, Carmen.

* * *

Americctll Parade

Crooks are quickly put on the straight and narrow at Continental Foundry and Machine Co., Wheeling .. West Virginia. They haven't got a chance. It only takes a few seconds to put a crooked core rod in this Type "D" American Rod Straightener and Shear Machine, and turn the handle operating the compressed air. The dies make a four point landing, and the crooks are gone!

CONVEYOR-SHIPPING

The new conveyor system, designed es­pecially for use in our shipping department, does away with the lifting of packing boxes from the time the operation is started until it is ready to be put on a truck.

The packer sets an empty box on the con­veyor, places the material to be shipped in

it and pushes it down to the bins of excel­sior. The box is then packed and shoved along the conveyor where the shipping address is stenciled onto it, as Joe Velleman is doing in the picture. Henry Beal is nail­ing a box shut and George Godrain is checking over an order.

The next stop is the scale-where the

9

Steel Shop

Zigmund S. Dombkowski . . . Robert L. Richardson . . . Robert C. Lenson . . •. Martin H. Boehnlein ... Jesse R. Sater ... Harold J. Linderman ... Frank W. Simcox ... Louis Torok ... Harry C. Silvers.

Sales Demonstration Harold R. Garman

Office Dolores I. Gulatta ... Phyllis N. Surbaugh

Shipping Calvin E. Hunsberger

Engineering Donald H. Selby

Foundry William E. Shea

Miscellaneous Eugene J. Andrysiak

Kenneth 0. Diemer

~0~,~~::7 ::~~~~.~~:h1t5h and I

1

$4o,ooo I [WILL YOU Buy a Bond and!

1 Help Put AFECO Over the Top? I I ,

weight is printed on the shipping papers.

Another push sends the order out to the

shipping dock and a truck takes it on its

way to the customer.

The conveyor, which handles work up to

300 pounds in weight, makes the work

much easier, faster and safer.

10 Americtnl Parade

* Our Boys *

S/Sgt. Laurence Bickel, home on leave from Wakeman General Hospital, stopped in to see us and picked up his $25.00 War Bond, purchased for him l:y the Servicemen's Gift Fund. Those deco­rations on his chest include: The Com­bat Infantryman's Badge and the ribbons for the Purple Heart (which he has been awarded twice, the second time for wounds received on Luzon), Good Con­duct, Asiatic Pacific Theatre, with three battle stars, American Defense, Philip­pine liberation and Veteran of Foreign Wars. Oh yes, that's Gloria Pickavet handing him the bond. ______ * _____ _

CPL. EDWARD HIXENBAUGH, Ar1geles, Luzon "Have been moving around a lot the past

few months. I'm now in the Philippine Islands, and will probably be in Japan with­in the next few weeks. I've already seen the Jap prisoners, and they're weird looking characters.

"Received the vacation check awhile back ... I'm the only fellow in my outfit who has ever received the gifts from a former em­ployer. I'm sure all the fellows in the serv­ice are as thankful as myself for all you've done for us ... "

* * * STANLEY M. HES, S 2/C, Chiucoteage, Va. "I am now striking for a store keepers

rating ... The base on which I am is very small, and we have only about 1500 men ... I am now working in the supply office as a store keeper, but still have to take a test in order to get my rating."

* * * EUGENE CLEMENS, S 2/C writes that he

is leaving any day from Pearl Harbor for Manilla. Chief Spl. AL EMINGER says the birthday card and $3.00 found him not a member of the hospital staff, but a patient­but not for long. ______ * _____ _

ADDITIONS TO THE HONOR ROLL

Carl Magnuson, Jr. Joseph J. Viscek Donald V. Fisher

Donald McFarland Lee E. Bricker Dick Burkhart ______ * _____ _

WELCOME HOME

Russell L. Wade Joseph Acsai Donald W. Ernst Harold R. Graham Ross Bilger Paul Driver Emile DeVreese Albert J. Ward Robert Borton Jack Baugher

Richard E. Hathaway James Hunt Richard E. James Adolph DeVolder Roy Mitchell Casimir Truckowski Eddie V. Byrd Bernard A. Gehl Robert W. Hoerstman Albert Van Den Avyle ______ * _____ _

CPL. OMER BOEMBEKE, France "For the past eight weeks we have been

here at Camp Lucky Strike, near Le Harve, France, waiting for shipment back home. Last Wednesday was the first time we got any mail since we arrived here. I received the vacation check and felt pretty good about it. I also wish to thank you for the War Bond, the V-mail announcement of which I received some time ago. The AFECO sure takes. care of its men in uni­form!"

* * * CPL. WILLIAM GRISWOLD, Sadyia, Assam "This place is so remote that it is little

known outside of Assam. About the only distinction this village has is that it is the last outpost before the savage tribes lands in the foot hills of the Himalayan Moun­tains."

While Charles Kwasny was overseas with the Army, the Servicemen's Gift Fund bought him a $25.00 War Bond. Ray Steele, a member of the Committee, is giving the bond to Chuck, who now works in the stock room, following his dis­charge from the Army. ______ * _____ _

ENSIGN RAY LELIAERT, Apra Harbor, G11am " ... I am in the high point brackets on

the ship. I lack only a few of getting out, and if all goes well, I should be out before too long.

"Life aboard a carrier is very interesting. We don't carry our own squadron now but are transporting different squadrons from place to place. This week we leave for the Phillipine Islands and then make a mad dash for the good old U.S. A.

"This ship, the Jl7iudham Bay was one of the carriers most severely damaged by the Typhoon in June."

On September 13 a soldier visited the office and began to kiss some of the girls­much to the surprise and amusement of some of the newer workers. The story goes back to December 1942 when Joseph A. Myszak, Jr., left the advertising department for the Army. At that time, joe made a tour of the office, kissing all the girls good by. Thirty-three months have passed-seeing joe in thirty different places in the United States, England, France and Belgium, but never a chance to come home. Then he came home from Europe, and, following the precedent set a long time ago by AFECO workers in the armed forces, visited the office-but there the similarity ends-joe, now a staff sergeant, kissed the girls "Hello" (just those that were here when he left, however). In the picture joe has his arms around Mary Bokhart and Elsie DeBruyne flanked on the left by joan Hatfield and on the right by Betty Claeys, all members of the advertising department.

America11 Parade

THE FAMILY ALBUM

joJeph W. cSnyder Joseph W. Snyder, president of Local No.

995 UA W-CIO, is the first night shift worker ever to have held the presidency of the labor union.

He attended school at his home town, Mill Creek, Indiana and after graduating from high school, returned to school to take post graduate work in mathematics.

On his first job he was apprentice machin­ist at the Allis-Chalmers Corp., in La Porte. After this he was associated with the Sin­clair Refineries as a salesman of petroleum products to service stations, industrial plants, farmers and similar outlets.

His next connection was as salesman for Cities Service Oil Co. June, 1940, brought Joe to Mishawaka as supervisor of equip­ment maintenance in this area. When the war came along, he first completed a 150 hour course in precision inspection, then came to AFECO April 8, 1942 to operate a turret lathe on the night shift, where he still works.

Joe's leadership was soon recognized by his fellow workers and in 1944 he was elected to the Union Bargaining Committee. So well did he handle this important posi­tion that he was elected President in March of this year.

Joe's hobbies include auto racing, garden­ing his small patch (he calls two acres small) and traveling. He has traveled in Canada, Mexico and 32 states of the east, south and northern sections of the U. S. Now that the war is over, he would like to see the west and retrace some of his previ­ous travels, accompanied by his wife and three year old daughter.

11

When the radiagz·aphs were first installed at AFECO, the oxygen and acetylene gases were delivered in individual cylinders for the use of each machine. Because these cutting machines use nine times more oxygen than acetylene, the oxygen tank was soon empty and had to be replaced by a full one. This took time, was an annoyanc~ and there was always a safety hazard in handling the heavy tanks of oxygen.

This is changed now. A green painted pipe carries a continuous supply of oxygen to the radiagraphs from these fifteen huge tanks located east of the steel shop.

The tanks are assembled in a series. When one is empty, the next tank supplies oxygen. Linde Air Corp. checks periodically and when the dials at which joe Hend­rickson is looking, show the 15 tanks are becoming empty, they are refilled.

Most of us are accustomed to 110 volts of electricity-the type supplied to our homes, but a large manufacturing company, such as AFECO, using a lot of power-hungry machinery, consumes current in huge gulps. To meet this need 4000 volts of elec­tricity are fed from the Twin Branch power station into the sub station at AFECO.

The installation pictured in the inset was handling the job, but when it had to be moved to make room for the foundry expansion, this new, more efficient sub station was installed. The capacities are the same, but the new station is a "pipe" type, which makes a more compact unit, has better connections and the power factor loss is reduced.

12

Ten Accepted Ideas

Mildred Fore received

an additional $5.00 in

addition to her regular

awards for having had

ten suggestions acc­

epted. Imagineering

pays!

lmagineers JOHN BOWERS-Eliminate nearly one­

half the welding on the motor base and bracket.

MARIE MENZIE-Assign number and register all proposals covering American Core Rod Straighteners in the proposal record book. Send printed contract conditions only to customers.

OR VILLE POTTS-Change the cut out on exhaust intake screen from a hexagon shaped hole to an oval shaped hole.

MILDRED FORE-When it is necessary for department heads to leave the plant, they leave word with the telephone oper­ators where they can be reached.

Register pads for visitors to the plant.

co1ne fro1n tlw

ma11 on tl1e job

Definition of a skeleton: a stack of bones with all the people scraped off.

* * The Sand Mixing Machine Co. was

founded in 1908, the name was changed to American Foundry Equipment Co. in 1916.

* * * Consider the turtle-he doesn't make any progress until he sticks his neck out.

The AFECO Glee Club is practicing for the many public appearances they have been asked to make and for the concert they are planning. No dates or locations for these appearances have been announced as yet.

The Glee Club under the direction of Karl Knorr, was formed in September of last year and has sung several times before enthusiastic audiences.

All AFECO workers interested in singing with the Glee Club are urged to attend the weekly practices held on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Hotel Misha­waka. ------* ------

Two Georgia Negro soldiers in Australia saw a kangaroo and lit out to catch it. After being outdistanced by the fleet animal for several miles, one turned to the other and said: "It ain't no use, Henry, he ain't even put down his front legs yet."

* * * Newspaper headline: "Baby Kangaroo

Disappears from Zoo".

Mother, we suppose, was left holding the bag.

American Parade

ROBERT BUNCH NEW

SERVICE ENGINEER

J. Robert Bunch is the latest addition to AFECO's staff of service engineers. His duties include erecting American equip­ment in the customer's plant, periodic checking of equipment to see that it is operating correctly, making repairs as needed and instructing operators.

Bob, a former machine shop worker, is well known to the entire organization. For 21/2 years he was president of the Union, Local No. 995 UA W-CIO, and has always been very interested in all AFECO activities. He was instrumental in the adoption of the Suggestion System here and has had several ideas accepted.

Good experience and training make up his background for this new job. After graduating from high school, Bob attended Indiana and Stetson Universities, then worked for several companies before com­ing to AFECO in March of 1936.

When it was decided to add him to the staff of service engineers, Bob spent a train­ing period in the demonstration department becoming thoroughly familiar with the con­struction and operation of all types o American equipment. Now he is working in the Cleveland sales area with Claude Rolland, a veteran service engineer.

Bob and his wife Daisy, have two red­headed children, a boy and a girl. One of his outside interests is the raising of pedi­greed Scotch and wire haired fox terriers.

"Hey, Jack, when did they change the design of this Wheelabrator Cabinet? We've never built one before with a bulge like this in the side!"